RamView Accu-Draft 2014: Pick #2: Rams

USA Today

Greg Robinson, T, Auburn.

If Clowney does go off the board first, I see the Rams as kind of stuck at #2, where they'll turn the pick they STOLE from Washington in the RGIII trade for an offensive lineman. An offensive lineman? JEFF FISHER NEVER DRAFTS OFFENSIVE LINEMEN IN THE FIRST ROUND. Well, I say, if the Undertaker can lose at Wrestlemania, then Fisher can take an o-lineman in the first this year. Except I think the Rams are going to take the wrong one.

RamView's pick at #2 would be Jake Matthews, a dominating run-blocker and the most accomplished pass-blocker in this draft. He's got an NFL bloodline beyond compare. He can play any position on the line and showed often the agility and field awareness to maintain a pocket while Johnny Manziel ran around on epic scrambles. What Matthews really only lacks is Robinson's hyped upside.

Now, mind you, Robinson is 6'5" 332 with the feet of Maksim Chmerkovskiy. He's a dominant, mauling run-blocker, considered the best in the draft at it by most. Auburn's system didn't call on him to be much of a pass-blocker, but with the lightness of foot and physical skills he displayed on the field and at the Combine, he's a player most believe can be coached up into a long-term franchise left tackle.

Since Robinson's often painted as the physical mauler with major upside, and Matthews is painted more as the "technician", Robinson looks like the best fit for what the Rams want to do. They play in the most physical division in the league and have to be able to establish the run in division games. Instead, in most of last year's division games, they got dominated up front. The 2014 Rams would likely start Robinson at left guard and use him to try to steam-roll opponents, and in 2-3 seasons, kick him out to left tackle where he can live up to all that potential.

It's all well and good, and it may even work. I sure hope it does if it comes to pass. It gets highly risky, though, to put the immobile, fragile Bradford behind a lineman who doesn't know how to pass-block. Robinson has not impressed RamView as a blocker who finishes his blocks. And the Rams have taken a great athlete whose college system did not prepare him to be an NFL tackle recently: 2009, Jason Smith, also #2 overall. Too many eerie parallels there for me.

Ultimately, I feel this is a replay of the Chris Long/Glenn Dorsey debate of 2008. Long was the safe pick who was as good as he was ever going to be. Dorsey was the player with all the upside. The Rams didn't go wrong with Long then; they wouldn't go wrong with Matthews now. I hope they don't go wrong if they do pick Robinson.

Up next: picks 3 thru 7.

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